Answers to the disruptions encountered in the adjustment of global freight movements due to the impact of COVID-19 lie in digital technologies available through an Auckland advanced technology company.
Reacting to issues raised by the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council about the flow of products intended for the Christmas and New Year markets, Mark Singh, Chief Executive of Kaptura Limited, said traders could lock into a range of platforms and devices which would help them navigate the disruption.
“We can’t make ships and aircraft available to meet emergencies such as this. But we can offer them significant control over the movement of products from point of origin to customer delivery outside reliance on traditional freight forwarders who are often at the mercy of prearranged movement schedules,” explained Singh.
Manufacturers and producers can have real-time visibility through constant monitoring of the travel environments and progress of sensitive and fragile cargoes en route between suppliers and customers at all points of the globe. They are enabled to make decisions of alternative steps to counteract a disruption to delivery schedules.
“It is not simply a question of cargo tracking through RFID or QR codes. Instead, we use a Roambee system based on sensors, GPS and Bluetooth technologies that provide 24-hour information flows disclosing location, temperature, humidity and conditions of cargoes shipped, airfreighted or trucked. We link this information to a digital platform giving visibility of it to the exporter or importer.”
This platform then provides the company with a capability to advise freight forwarders of alternatives to cope with any dislocation of scheduled routes, such as other transport available. Such smart technology is now in use by global suppliers in Europe and the U.S. It is especially ideal for shippers of perishable items such as vegetables, flowers and fruit products, as well as meat and temperature-sensitive dairy foods.
“The advantages are considerable. Shipments that are waylaid for unavoidable reasons can be re-routed to the nearest available warehouse or alternative distribution centres. Adjustments to temperature control and humidity conditions can be made according to reports received on-line by executives of product supply companies,” concluded Singh.
“End to end visibility of goods in transit with 24/7 control tower assistance and analytics on the go are key to quality control and security during the lockdown business recovery. Exporters and importers can take control of the movement of their products and not simply leave it to the freighting companies.”
